Closure



June 13, 1939.

CLOSURE Filed March 13, 1937 INVENTOR. 6452 f. 1 UNOGEE/V.

ATTORNEY.

c. E. LUNDGREN 2,162,092

WWW

' outlet.

pate ed June '13, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFEICE CLOSURE Carl E. Lundgren, LaPorte, Ind. Application March 13, 1937, Serial No. 130,642

This invention relates to improvements in closures, and particularly to, collapsible tube closures.

The closures for Collapsible tubes and other containers of liquid or plastic materials heretofore developed'and employed havegenerally been of one of two common types. One of these types is embodied in the conventional screw threaded cap which must be entirely removed from the container to permit exhaust of any of the contents of the container. The other of these types employs a normally closed valve which is automatically opened by the manipulation of the container to discharge the contents thereof. The first mentioned removable closure type'is objectionable from the standpoint ofthe necessityof handling the cap independently of the container with the possibility of misplacing, dropping and losing the cap incident to such separate handling while removed. The valve type is objectionable because of the possibility of loss or discharge of the container contents through accidental valve opening, as when the container is dropped or a collapsible tube is subjected to pressure while packed in a! traveling bag or the like.

It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide a closure which can be positively locked in sealing relation when not in use and which can be conditioned for use by a simple adjustment and without removal of 'parts.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which can be readily applied to any container having a conventional screw :threaded A further object is to character having an apertured closure shiftable on a container outlet; and a spring pressed valve member in stationary relation to said container outlet, whereby shifting of said closure permits discharge of-the container contents.

A further object is to provide a device of this characterwith a,novel valve construction;

Otherobjects will be apparent from [the description andthe appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side view of ing my improved closure applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating the closure in sealing position.

Fig. ,3 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating' the closure in open position.

Fig. 4 is a side view of the valve. P v Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view modified construction of my device.-

provide a. device of this Fig. 6 is a side view of the valve used in the embodiment illustrated in Fi 5.

Fig. '7 .is a longitudinal sectional view of another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, and particularly to low cylindrical body portion l6 having a plu.

rality of qui-spaced apertures IT in its walls intermediate its ends. Body portion l6 terminates in an integral solid end portion i8 of frustoconical shape adapted to seat in full face engagement with the periphery of tapered aperture l3 of cap l2. F

Flange I5'or valve I4 seats on the outer edge of neck in centered relation thereto with body portion l6 of the valve projecting outwardly from said neck. The cap I2 is threaded on neck II, and valve portion i8 seats in aperture 13 thereof. A coil spring l9 isinserted in the cap between the end wall thereof and flange it: of valve M. The spring i 9 is preferably of a diameter to closely fit within the cap, and the diameter of cylindrical body portion I6 of the valve is preferably less than that of the neck I l and the inner diameter of the cap, so thatspring l9 ispositioned in substantially outwardly spaced relation as to said body portion.

a collapsible tube hav- ,In operation, the cap l2 may be threaded on neck II to effect a tight sealing engagement be tween valve portion I8 and the cap aperture l3 which are equally tapered. The taper of said part and aperture permit self-centering of the loosely mounted valve with respect to the cap aperture. When the parts are so arranged, the

,tube' is effectively sealed against discharge of its contents upon application .01 pressure to the tube. "To discharge thecontainer contents, the cap I! is first loosened slightly on .neck -I I, without,

however, entirely removing the same. When the I cap is so loosened, the spring I9 expands to'continue to force the valve member ll in seated relation on-the end of the neck. The opening of the closure so produced is of annular shape between part l8 and aperturel3. Uponapplication of pressure to discharge the "tube con tents, the same pass from the tube outwardly throughthe neck, into :thehollow body portion l6, radially outwardly through apertures I'I into cap l2, and longitudinally outwardly in the cap 'to andfthrough the annular passage between valve II and aperture It. When .a desired amount or the .material has been discharged, the tube can again be sealed by slight rotation oi-the cap to bring the wall or aperture II into tight face engagement with the periphery 'of valve part II. The tapered form of valve part I l which forms somewhat of a guide for the material discharged by reason of the passage of said material thereover in its movement to and through the aperture I3, servefssomewhat to resist the tendency otthe pressure, expelled ma-- terial passing fromthe tube neck to unseat valve member H from said neck. Therefore the spring, I! is not required to sustain the fullme'asure of the pressure applied to the tube to discharge its contents. It willtherefore be seen that this continued spring pressed seating or the valve on the outlet neck o! the container permits the contained material to be discharged under pressure after the cap has been only slightly loosened; and that the closure can be sealed by tightly thredaing the cap on the neckto seat on valve i8 to prevent discharge of the material upon accidental pressure application to the tube.

One of the important advantages of this construction is that the seal is efl'ectedpositively "rather than by spring action. This-permits'the contained material which remains inthe cap after partial discharge of the contents to be sealed against access of 'air thereto and prevents 'drying and caking of the material. inasmuch as the material contained is generally of liquid or plastic character, andwill not properly flow it dried or caked, such a positive sea] overcomes one of the greatest disadvantages of the spring I pressed valve type of closure wherein the stress applied-bythe spring to the valve is ofterDinadequate to effect the necessary air-excluding seal. Another advantage pf the instant con-- "struction is its simplicity and the adaptability thereof for application to any conventional screw threaded container outlet.

In the embodiment oi the device illustrated in Figs. and 6, the valve 20 is so constructed that {the skirt-and forms a stop for the purpose of properly positioning the valve member within the tube neck. The remainder of the valve member 20 is constructed} substantially thesaine as that heretoforefldescribed, having the apertures 11 in cludin its head and a tapered valve head l8. The cap i2 and tapered aperture i3 of this embodiment are the same as heretofore described. 1

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 7, the valve is formed integrally with the tubeneck.

Thus, from the threaded neck portion ll of the tube projects a tapered hollowportion 25 integral with said neck and preferably inset therefrom at 28. Apertures 21 are formed in portion 25, and the-portion 2 5 terminates in a closed end portion 28. The cap I2 has the same type of aperture i3 tapered complementary to end portion 28 seating therein. "I'hejoperation of this device is obviously'the same as heretofore described.

While'the device has here been illustrated and described as appliedto a collapsible tube, it is obvious that it may be employed with equal advantage" to other containers, and especially to containers which have screw threaded necks.

I claim: l. A.closure tor the outlet of a container, comprising a cap adjustably-mounted on said outlet and having an opening in its end,.a hollow ap-- ertured member bearing on said outlet. and including a tapered 'valveportion' normally seating in said opening, and a coil spring in said cap bearing on said member to position said member seated on said outlet when said cap is'shifted on said heat: to unseat said valve'portion relative to said cap opening 1 2. In combination, a closure adjustablelon a' container outlet and having-an aperture in its end, an apertured valve member having/atapered end portionseating in said cap aperture, a= flange projecting'from the end of said valve opposite said valve end, and a spring interposed between said closure and flange to press said flang'e against .said outlet, adjustment of said closure at least partially opening said closure aperture. 4

3. A closure for the outlet of a container comprising a 'cover adjustable on said outlet and having a tapered aperture in its end, an apertured cylindrical member seating on said outlet and ing a' tapered end fitting in said cover aperture, and a spring interposed between said cover and member.

4. A valve adapted for a container outlet, comprising an apertured closure, a cylindrical body havingj-a passage theretltrough communicating with said outlet andjdischarging at the side of :said body, thev outer end gt said body being tapered and'nornially' sealing the closure aperture,

.s'aid closure being shittable relative to saidbody to permit discharge throu'gh said aperture. 5. A valve tor a container outlet, comprising an apertured closure,"a hollow cylindrical body open at one end and having apertures opening at its sides, a'flange projecting laterally from the open end of said body adapted to seat on said container outlet, and a tapered head on the op-' posite end of said body adapted to seat insald closure aperture, 1 said closure being: shiftable relative to said body to permit discharge through said aperture.

CARL li wnnonm. 

